Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-04-12 | Page 7 | First Stop on Pony Express Run Cause of Dispute Years Later

FIRST STOP ON PONY EXPRESS RUN CAUSE OF DISPUTE YEARS LATER Findings Prove Riders Followed Followed Fol- Fol lowed Route Taken by Pioneers Pio- Pio By Bon BOB HALE Reports of the first pony express trip out of Salt Lake ity to the cast tell how inclement weather caused slow time tima to be made to Snyders Snyder's mill one of the first stops The fact that riders did stop at Snyders Snyder's mill caused meny years later et a controversy over the route followed b. b by the pon pony east of here It was generally for a along along long time lime the riders went up Parleys Parley's canyon canon to the summit and then on to Echo canyon This belief arose because be- be cause it was taken for granted Snyders Snyder's m mill where the riders stopped was at the present site of Snyderville south southeast t of the Parleys Parley's canyon conyon summit Residents of oC that region assumed U pony went vent through there but when John D. D Giles secretary of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks association sought to prove a belief the pony never went through Parleys Parley's Par Par- leys ley's but followed the route of the 1847 pioneers over BIg and Little mountains into Emigration can canyon on none of those people 2 was able to tell tellof of having s seen en a pony rider when they were children Followed Pioneer Trail It Il now ap appears ars proved the riders followed the pioneer trail because it was considerably shorter than another an other route that would have taken them by way of Parleys Parley's can canyon on Per Par Icy's park and Wanship In 1860 a new road was opened from Echo canyon canon along the Weber river past Wanship and thence westward west west- ward to the summit This toad was in use when the pon pony as in opera opera- lion tion But it would have added 18 miles mUes t to l the route had the riders chosen it instead of the 1847 trail over Big and Little mountains Then had the riders touched Snyderville it would have meant riding several mile off this route And pony riders riders rid rid- ers chose the straightest route whenever when when- ever possible So Mr Giles attempting to trace the route definitely and settle ettle the controversy con so the a. a association might eventually mark the entire route through Utah went into the vicinity and at Henefer found Q a woman who had taught school in early days of that She remembered seeing a sign pony express on the postoffice there in 1860 Henefer was on the route from Echo canyon canon along Dixie creek end through East canyon in other words the 1847 pioneers pioneers pioneers' pio pio- Others Back Mr Giles Others added to Mr l Giles Giles' belle belief A. A W. W Ivins first counselor in the th- Editors Editor's note This Is 15 the ninth o of ofa a series of stories by a Telegram staff writer on the Pony Express in Utah Ufah Another I will appear Friday I I first pr of the L. L D. D S. S church said he understood the pony followed the original route Into Salt Lake City The Question appeared definitely settled when the late Charles W. W Nib Icy ley second counselor in the first presidency told Mr Giles that when he came to the valley as n a boy in 1860 his company was coming over Big mountain when it received one of oC the greatest thrills of the long trip I watching the express ride by Mr Nibley related d how the advance ad ad- I vance wagons saw the rider approaching ap ap- at top speed ansi and how word ws sh back along the train to watch for ruin him More proof was supplied by on en ol olman old man at Echo whose father was k keeper ot of the pony station there therein in 1860 This man told old Mr Giles the pon pony went by w roy of Henefer and Dixie creek 1 Had Been Deen I 1 Moved ed Then as though to finally settle I Association Believes Believes' Messengers Messen- Messen gers To Took k Shortest Trail Between S. S L. L Henefer the controversy c Mr Giles discovered that there was a Snyders Snyder's mill at East on the 1847 trail It had h been moved there by a man named Snyder from Echo Th There re renever never was proof of a Sn ers er's mill h having been at ervIlle Mr Giles claims John H. H Kimball now retired In Salt Lak Lake City Cit married the of a pon pony keeper ot at the Mountain Dell station between Little and BIg mountains on on the 1847 trail and he also informed Mr Giles the rIders went over this oute Moun Moun- tin bin Dell station the first to the east of Salt Laka Lak was ras about aboul a mile north of the site sHe of Mountain Dell reservoir in Parleys Parley's canyon on Another fact pointing t k t. t the 1847 route route was that the distance to old Sn Snyders Snyder's ders mill in East canyon and to is 25 miles So the first rid rider r could have taken the sloW time of five hours to re reach ch either place As a result of these findings the markers of the association will ex cx- tend between Salt SaIL Lake City and Heneic along the 1847 route